When land is leveled and cleared, for example for new home construction sites, it often happens that rocks are inevitably turned and rise to the top of the soil surface. These rocks must then be cleared before landscaping can occur. Currently, the most common way of clearing such rocks is manually. This is difficult, time consuming and often potentially back injuring.
While there have been some rock pick up units developed in the past, none have been of a suitable size and construction that they are conveniently available for use with for example, all terrain vehicles, or lawn and garden tractors. A unit of such size which automatically picked up rocks could save substantial time and eliminate a significant amount of labor.
Moreover, there is a continuing need for such a unit which will not only pick up the rocks, but allow convenient hauling and dumping of such rocks.
Another need is for a unit which will not only automatically pick up rock but allow sifting of soil through the unit so that soil is not removed along with the rock.
A still further need is for a rock picker which can be hydraulically activated, and also depth adjusted to allow for proper operation under a variety of terrain conditions.
The objectives of the present invention are to fulfill each of the above needs with a durable, versatile and preferably hydraulic activated rock picking unit.
A durable lightweight rock picker, preferably hydraulic and electrically activated, for scooping and then unloading rock from the scoop. The rock picker has a generally horizontally movable frame with wheels operatively secured to the frame. A rock holding receptacle is tiltably mounted towards the rear of the frame. Towards the front of the frame, and above the rock holding receptacle, is a tiltable and depth adjustable rock scoop which is pivotally mounted to the frame. The tiltable rock scoop can be moved from a rock load position, for scooping rock from the ground, as the frame is pulled forward to a rock unload position, for dumping rock from the scoop rear end into a rock holding receptacle or basket, which itself can then be dumped at a desirable location.